Factors Affecting the Stress Levels of Grade 12 Students of Nova Schola Tanauan During

the Online Learning System A.Y. 2021-2022

A Quantitative Research

Presented to Nova Schola Tanauan High School Department

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for

Practical Research 2

A research study presented by:

Ulit, Mark Luke

Alvarez ,Ben Joshua

Sumang, Vex

Ilagan,m Johnzel

Angulo, Princess Jelo

Payos, Jeanne Mae

Manalo, Abegail

Vergosa, Edcel Mae

Esquivias, Princess
 Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

INTRODUCTION

“In today’s date stress has been an integral part of life because there are many things

which act as a stress catalyst. Covid-19 pandemic has caused significant distress around the

globe. It is not limited to adults only, but stress is increasingly affecting children of all age

groups.” (Yasmin, H, et. al., 2020).

Stress as defined by Mental Health Foundation UK as Stress is the reaction of our body to

pressure. Many different situations and life events can cause stress. It is often triggered when we

experience something new, unexpected, or endanger our self-esteem, or when we feel we are out

of control of the situation. Our ability to deal with it can depend on our genetics, early life

events, personality, and social and economic conditions. Stress is the reaction of one’s body and

mind to something that causes a change in the balance. The level of difficulties inherent in the

coursework and exams may present different stress levels to the students. (Rafidah, Azizah,

Norzaidi, Chong, Salwani & Noraini, 2009, 37).

“High school students are experiencing rising stress levels and lower engagement with

learning since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study by NBC News and

Challenge Success,” as cited by Stanford Graduate School of Education (GSE). “The ongoing

stress relating to education has demonstrated a negative impact on students’ learning capacity,

academic performance, education and employment attainment, sleep quality and quantity,

physical health, mental health and substance use outcomes. Increasing students’ stress-
management skills and abilities is an important target for change.” (Pascoe M.C et. al., 2019,

para 17).

Academic stress related to one's ability to succeed in this new environment is a specific

source of anxiety for students in higher education. While the number of students enrolled in

online courses has expanded in recent years, the majority of students are still inexperienced with

remote learning. According to a recent survey, previous to COVID-19, just 35% of US college

students have completed one or more online courses (D'Amato, 2020).

The COVID-19 pandemic represents an extreme situation that poses unique mental health

challenges (Galea, Merchant, & Lurie, 2020, Holmes et al., 2020), and it is unclear how the

relationships between neuroticism and negative affect level and variability unfold during a

pandemic. Some have argued that individual differences in personality should be studied during

environmental challenges because novel and uncertain situations are more likely to reveal the

effects of dispositional tendencies on people’s everyday experiences and behaviors. This

argument is backed up by dynamic theories of personality, which posit that individual

differences in personality should be more consequential in situations that activate the traits.

In an online survey of Turkish students about their emotions regarding COVID-19, 38%

responded as being worried. Studies from within the European Union have reported an increase

in stress and anxiety for about 60% of students in France, Spain, and Poland due to the COVID-

19 pandemic. From universities in different federal states of Germany, about 40–60% of students

reported increased mental stress, feelings of loneliness, and fear of the future .From a

longitudinal study in Swiss undergraduate students, there was an increase in depression, anxiety,

stress, and loneliness from within-person comparisons. By contrast, the authors could not

identify a significant difference in these parameters in between-cohort comparisons. In Italian

lockdown ended; only 6% were at risk for the development of severe depressive symptoms

(Voltmer, E., Köslich-Strumann, S., Walther, A. et al, 2020)

With the various international literatures and studies pointing that the current COVID-19

pandemic as one of the major catalyst of rising stress and inability of students to perform at their

full potential, it is unclear whether the same situation occurs on our country as difference in

curriculum, societal norms, culture, and personal preference might vary with different country.

With it in mind, it is this study’s purpose to identify the various stressors that affect the

performance of students during the online learning system and find out how it affects the Grade

12 students of Nova Schola Tanauan Academic Year 2021-2022.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

This study is anchored on the Theory of Stress and Coping by Lazarus and Folkman as

cited by Biggs, A., Brough, P., & Drummond, S. (2017), “psychological stress is a particular

relationship between the person and the environment that is appraised by the person as taxing or

exceeding his or her resources and endangering his or her well-being.” This concept is based on

the idea that emotional processes (including stress) are dependent on actual expectancies that

persons manifest with regard to the significance and outcome of a specific encounter. This

concept is necessary to explain individual differences in quality, intensity, and duration of an

elicited emotion in environments that are objectively equal for different individuals. The most

important factors on the personal side are motivational dispositions, goals, values, and

generalized expectancies. Relevant situational parameters are predictability, controllability, and

imminence of a potentially stressful event. According to their theory, stress coping implies an

intricate process of thinking and assigning meaning to it. They explained the coping mechanism
by the stress cycle where an individual’s perception of the stressful situation decides how he

would cope with it. Mental stress is a complex phenomenon, and many theoretical models seek

to explain its etiology. These theoretical explanations can be categorized according to the main

conceptualization of the stress experience. Stress as an external stimulus. Stress as a reaction;

stress as an individual or environmental transaction.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Figure 1 below shows the conceptual framework utilized in this study.

Figure 1 shows the relationship between the collective factors such as (1) stressors and

catalyst of mental health problems, (2) The advent of the Covid-19 Pandemic, and (3) the online

class modality to the rise of stress levels among the students and the two possible byproduct;

Resolution and Coping, or Further Problem.

This study aims to determine how specific factors affect the well -being and academic

performance of the students. Specifically, this study will answer the following questions:

1. What are the following stressors and its effects on the students?

2. What are the methods that they are applying to resolve such stress?

3. Based on the result, what recommendations and suggestions can be worked on.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is relevant at this time. The problem presented can be observed worldwide as

it affects every student around the world. The study's goal is to investigate the factors affecting

the stress of Grade 12 during the online learning system students. It comprises concepts that will

aid satisfy this research as well as be able to build a study that will open the minds of the

respondents.

The result of this study may be beneficial to the following:

To the students. For them to know and be aware of the things that stress does to the

quality of well-being and productivity in school.

To the parents. For them to widen their understanding to know how to help their

children in terms of coping in stressful situations and to be aware of the importance of giving

their children the support that they deserve.

To the teachers. For them to know what are the effects of stressful situations on their

students, they will craft a better method of teaching and giving knowledge effectively so that

they can help their students hone their talents and skills efficiently.
 To the Education Authorities. For them to understand the current situation so they can

conduct more studies and analysis to build a more comprehensive and inclusive educational

curriculum to hone the talents of the students effectively and efficiently.

To the Future Researchers. For them to have new ideas based on the result of this study

and further continue this study to help improve a better environment for students to learn and

hone their talents.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Stress. A state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in your life, work, etc.

Neuroticism. It is characteristic of a tendency towards negative influences including

anger, anxiety, shyness, irritability, emotional instability and depression.

Anxious. Causing or showing fear or nervousness.

Advent. The arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.

Pandemic. Occurring over a wide geographic area (such as multiple countries or

continents) and typically affecting a significant proportion of the population.

REVIEW OTHEF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter comprises the review of related literature after the thorough search done by the

researchers.

LOCAL LITERATURE

According to Gretchenho (2016), Many students often complain about getting "too stressed" with

tons of academic requirements they have to submit, as well as the deadlines they have to beat. during the

final exam season, when students have to multitask. This is the time when they start dusting off their old

notebooks and readings to review for upcoming tests. Apart from that, they are also cramming to write

their papers and other final requirements for the semester. Apart from written exams, some professors

also require their students to undergo oral exams, which are actually more nerve-wracking because of the

embarrassment one gets when he doesn't know the answer. As human beings, we also have to deal with

our emotions. Sometimes, we feel that our problems become too difficult to manage and end up getting

stressed. Stress brought about by personal problems is much worse for those who are living away from

their families. Thus, it is important to de-stress once in a while.

According to Dr. Bernadette Manalo in an interview with ABS-CBN,2020 said, a pause in studies

should be discussed by the school and the student council to shed light on issues.“The students should

understand that when there is a break for a week, then everything will be disrupted,” Manalo said.

“Their load will increase. They probably need to understand that if they want a break, they have to be

responsible as well.” Student groups in Baguio earlier urged the local government to intervene and

declare an academic break to relieve students from both academic and personal stress, exacerbated by the

COVID-19 pandemic.
LOCAL STUDIES

According to Mental Health Awareness (2018), “that there are numerous things that can prompt

stress. The demise of a friend or family member, separate/division, losing occupation and surprising

cash issues, and many more. In any case, not all life occasions are negative, and even positive life

changes, like moving to a greater house, picking up an occupation advancement, or going on vacation can

be a source of stress. Some of the predetermined stresses are emotional, behavioral, and physical

stressors. The emotional stressor is when you are focused on you may encounter a wide range of

emotions, including tension, dread, outrage, pity, or disappointment.”

These sentiments can at times feed on one another and produce physical manifestations,

exacerbating your feel even. For a few people, unpleasant life occasions can add to the side effects of

depression. Behavioral stress when you behave differently than your usual ways. Just like being

frequently hesitant or unbendable; unable to rest properly; You might be fractious or weepy. Some turn

to smoke, devouring more liquor or taking medications. Stress can make you feel angrier or more

forceful than typical. Stress may likewise influence the manner in which we cooperate with our nearby

family and companions. And the physical is when a few people begin to encounter cerebral pains,

queasiness, and acid reflux. You may inhale more rapidly, sweat more, have palpitations, or experience

the ill effects of a different throbbing painfulness.

According to Prather (2013), keeping things in perspective, having fun with hobbies, and

enjoying indulgences in moderation are secrets to stress busters. Anything that poses a challenge or threat

to well-being undermines both mental and physical health (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2012). Earning high grades

is a source of stress that affects them to succeed in making good impressions on their parents, classmates,

and significant others. Managing one's time ineffectively can often be a source of stress. Individuals can

be taught to look at what has to be accomplished in a day, or a week, and find efficient ways of working

so that they are not constantly backpedaling and thereby wasting time. Establishing priorities and working

to these is an effective way of managing one’s time. Moreover, almost all college students had the same

pattern of encountering related problems (Gittens, 2007).

performance. Their study aimed to analyze how other variables such as coping strategies and exam-

related self-efficacy could be related to academic stress and performance for undergraduate dental

students in Madrid, Spain. The study's findings revealed that rational coping strategies such as problem-

solving, positive reappraisal, and seeking social support were negatively associated with perceived stress.

In contrast, emotional coping strategies such as venting negative emotions and negative auto-focus were

positively associated with academic stress. Also, rational and emotional coping strategies were positively

and negatively associated with students' exam-related self-efficacy and are partially mediated by the

students' perceived stress. The study also found out that a higher level of stress during the examination

period was associated with more unsatisfactory average grades and is partially mediated by the students'

exam-related self-efficacy. The study then concluded that through adequate coping strategies, stress might

be reduced for dental students and, through their effect on exam-related self-efficacy appraisals, may also

contribute to improved academic performance.

Stress is described as any factor that makes adaptation to an environment difficult for the

individual to maintain a state of equilibrium between himself and the external environment (Humphrey,

Yow & Bowen 2000). It includes a physical and mental response to meet the demands of the stressful

event (Richlin-Klonsky & Hoe 2003). These events or conditions that put a strain on the individual are

called stressors (Santrock 2003). There are variations in individual reactions to stressors. The factors for

the variations may be due to the differences in their age, sex/gender, ethnicity, genetic predisposition,

medical history, religious beliefs, physical fitness, attitudes and behavior patterns, social support,

education status, and socioeconomic background (Larkin 2005).

How adolescents perceive stress is crucial to their well-being as individuals and learners. The

individual's perception of the stressor and ability to adapt to the stressor is significant in the perception of

whether the stressor is equal to or exceeding his emotional and behavioral resources to cope (Hardesty

2006; Amponsah & Owolabi 2011). Exposure to many stressors during this period can be related to

psychological symptoms such as depression and anxiety (Charbonneau et al. in Moksnes et al. 2010). If it
is severe and prolonged, it could affect the student’s academic performance and campus life along with an

increase in potential behavior for substance abuse and other like behaviors (Richlin-Klonsky & Hoe in

Busari 2012).

FOREIGN LITERATURE

According to Simon Wesson (2021), The authors warn stressors, such as course demands, make

college students vulnerable to sleep disorders which in turn affect academic performance and health.

They're calling on universities to do more to promote positive sleep habits and good mental health.

"Sleep disorders are especially harmful to college students because they're associated with several

negative effects on academic life," says lead author Dr. Paulo Rodrigues from the Faculty of Nutrition,

Federal University of Mato Grosso, Brazil.

"These include failures in attention and perception, high absenteeism rate, and sometimes dropping out of

the course.

The mechanism behind sleep disturbance and depression is not unclear, as is whether mental

health issues trigger poor quality sleep (or vice versa). Hence, the authors suggest that more research is

needed to understand this interaction better.

(Mickale Thompson, Hollie David,2021) According to Assistant Director for Student Success

Andrea Casuras, one of the biggest factors that contribute to stress and burnout in academics is poor time

management. “Once a student starts to procrastinate or push off assignments, the work starts to pile up

until it starts to feel overwhelming,” Casuras said. “Outside of academics, there are a lot of unexpected

life occurrences that happen. Things like sudden financial stress, illness, or family issues can add to the

pressures already felt from academics and can lead to a student shutting down. If a student is feeling

overwhelmed or stressed, we strongly suggest they reach out to their success coach or the Counseling
Center we have on campus to talk about it.” For students, there are different ways to minimize stress and

fatigue during the academic semester. “Some advice to deal with this academic year is to take advantage

of professors’ office hours and study with friends,” senior psychology-child life major Siobhan Brennan

said. “Start early and keep a planner of everything you need to do.”

According to Smulweb Blog (2018), various factors have been closely regarded as the main

causes of stress among students. Some students have found school life so hard that it can’t accommodate

them because of the kind of stress they face. Because of high amounts of stress among the students, their

performance has been greatly affected. Some have even been forced to drop out of school simply because

they can’t bear the amount of stress they are going through. Some of the common causes of stress among

school students include Academics, Dating, Environment, Extracurricular activities, Peers, Workload,

Time Management, Parental Pressure, and Poor sleeping habits. Academics ranked first among all the

common causes of stress among students. As per them, students suffer from stress because of the

academic pressure whereby they are involved in tackling very difficult assignments. Also, parents and

teachers exert a lot of pressure on students to perform better. This makes them work tirelessly in a

situation that ends up creating stress. To encounter stress among the students, teachers ought to introduce

UK Essays to their students to stress management techniques.

Stressors have a major influence on mood, our sense of well-being, behavior, and health. Acute

stress responses in young, healthy individuals may be adaptive and typically do not impose a health

burden. However, if the threat is unremitting, particularly in older or unhealthy individuals, the long-term

effects of stressors can damage health. The relationship between psychosocial stressors and disease is

affected by the nature, number, and persistence of the stressors as well as by the individual’s biological

vulnerability (i.e., genetics, constitutional factors), psychosocial resources, and learned patterns of coping.

Psychosocial interventions have proven useful for treating stress-related disorders and may influence the

course of chronic diseases.

FOREIGN STUDIES
 For the longest time, people assumed that the student population was the least affected by any

sort of stress or problems. Stress is now understood as a lifestyle crisis (Masih and Gulrez, 2006)

affecting any individual regardless of their developmental stage (Banerjee & Chatterjee, 2016). The only

task students were expected to undertake was to study and studying was never perceived as stressful.

What proved to be stressful was the expectations parents had for their children, which in turn grew into

larger burdens that these children could not carry anymore. According to the statistics published by

National Crime Records Bureau, there is one student every hour that commits suicide (Saha,2017). The

bureau registered 1.8% of students who committed suicide due to failing in examinations and an 80% rise

in suicide rates during a one-year time frame.

It becomes imperative to also understand that low stress does not necessarily ascertain that

students will perform better, but in fact under these circumstances, they would perceive the task as

unchallenging and may also get easily bored (Uchil, 2017). Though certain levels of stress push students

towards optimum performance, when it is not managed efficiently due to inadequate resources to cope

with the stress, it can have dismal consequences for the student as well as the institution.

While the stress response may be identical, the sources of stress reported by individuals vary.

These differences would be seen in the causes, sources, and consequences of stressors. Some of the

common stressors reported in an academic setting include excessive assignments, poor time management,

and social skills, peer competition, etc. (Fairbrother & Warn, 2003). These results are consistent with

studies conducted in India as well as reported by Sreeramareddy, Shankar, Binu, Mukopadhyay, Ray &

Menezes (2007). The educational system also plays an enabling role subsequently leading to increased

stress levels experienced by students. Some of the sources include overcrowded lecture halls, semester

grading system, inadequate resources and facilities (Awing& Agolla, 2008), the vastness of syllabus

(Agrawal & Chahar, 2007; Sreeramareddy et al., 2007), long hours, and expectations of rote learning

(Deb et al., 2015). Parents and institutions relentlessly instill the fear of failure which affects their self-

esteem and confidence. Ang & Huan (2006) reported increased expectations as one of the factors
responsible for increased stress levels. Thus, as the sources of stress vary despite identical stress

responses elicited by the body, understanding the former will help develop tailor-made interventions

targeted to reduce stress levels of students, which will, in turn, contribute towards the holistic well-being

of the individual.

Stress is one of the major facets of our contemporary life, resulting from the swift changes and

modernity in human beings, so this period is called the age of stress. Students undergo many stresses like

educational stress resulting from testing and exams, homework, and additional school necessities which

may go beyond their abilities. Mothers have their own stress resulting from child schooling, workers,

leaders, and the whole society has diverse forms of stress, sometimes the same person undergoes different

kinds of stress at one moment (Hussien and Hussien, 2006). Hancock and Szalma (2008) noted that two

common themes exemplify modern stress theory. First, psychological meaningfulness (the most important

factor); the attendance of a mechanism through which persons evaluate events in terms of their meaning

richness to mental or physical happiness. Second, individuals control their inner states and assign these

mechanisms to reimburse for perturbations persuaded by exterior events, including task demands, etc.

Stress is a common aspect of many different emotions like anxiety, frustration, anger, worry, fear,

sadness, and despair. Some reasons for stress during adolescence are disturbed family dynamics, peer

pressure, inability to cope with studies, drug abuse, and lack of competence. (Ghatol, 2017, 38). Stress is

also highly correlated with social and financial stress. (Pariat,Rynjah, Joplin, & Kharjana, n.d., 40). It is a

result of a wide range of issues, including test and exam burden, a demanding course, a different

educational system, and thinking about future plans upon graduation. (Ramli, Alavi, Mehrihnezhad, &

Ahmadi, 2018, 1). Stress can really change an individual's feelings or emotions. (MyersDG, 2005, 86).

Shastri (2016) explained that some individuals are more sensitive or prone to some stressors than others,

stress is caused by environmental and internal demands that need to be adjusted continuously.

(UNESCO, 2012) students commonly self-report experiencing ongoing stress relating to their

education, which we refer to as academic-related stress, such as pressure to achieve high marks and

concerns about receiving poor grades. For example, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD) recently conducted a survey involving 72 countries and consisting of 540,000

student respondents aged 15–16 years. On average across OECD countries, 66% of students reported

feeling stressed about poor grades and 59% reported that they often worry that taking a test will be

difficult. The OECD further found that 55% of students feel very anxious about school testing, even when

they are well prepared. As many 37% of students reported feeling very tense when studying, with girls

consistently reporting greater anxiety relating to schoolwork compared to boys (OECD, 2017). This data

demonstrates that education and academic performance are significant sources of stress to students. The

impact of this ongoing academic-related stress on student outcomes and well-being has not been

comprehensively explored. Therefore, the current narrative review explores the impact of academic-

related stress on students’ academic performance, mental health, and well-being.

Stress is normally an unavoidable part of everyone’s life living in this world. It portrays a

negative notion that can have an impact on one’s mental and physical well-being. The core intention of

this study was to detect the most influencing factors of stress affecting undergraduates. The four factors

that had been taken under consideration were Family stress, Emotional stress, Financial Stress, and Social

Stress. To accomplish this research stress inventory has been developed using scientific methods.

Respondents were undergraduate students of the university with different demographics. Results have

been presented graphically, descriptively, and inferentially using SPSS and Excel. Pearson’s chi-square

and correlation has been applied to verify the relationship between stress factors and demographics.

Results show that living persuasively under strict rules and regulations can be a family stressor.

Unavailability of the best choices and paramount match to live with as a partner can be emotional stress.

Fewer income students find it difficult to spend money on buying and enjoying which is a predictor of

financial stress. Pressurized life and squat admiration from people have lied under Social stress. Other

verdicts are also deemed according to the Pakistani cultural context.

RESEARCH METHOD AND PROCEDURES

Research Design

The research design used in the study is correlational. This research design is aimed to

identify the relationship between various variables. This method is used to investigate the

involvement of the relationship between the factors of stress and how it affects the Grade 12

Senior High School Student.

Respondents of the Study

The Grade 12 Students of Nova Schola Tanauan were the respondents of this study. The

respondents are composed of twenty-eight (28) students from the strands of ABM, fifty-seven

(57) students from STEM, forty-four (44) students from TVL, and sixty-eight (68) students from

HUMSS. The respondents are randomly selected. This study utilized Slovin’s formula therefore,

197 students participated in the study.

Research Instrument

The questionnaire in Google Forms was used as the main data-gathering instrument. The

instrument to be prepared focused on answering the statement of the problem. What are the

following stressors and their effects on the students? What are the methods that they are applying

to resolve such stress? Based on the result, what recommendations and suggestions can be

worked on. The questionnaire contains thirteen (13) questions. The questionnaires will be

distributed to the respondent via their NST Gmail Accounts. The data gathering instrument was
structured in two parts, first as a questionnaire containing various questions about their stressors

and their coping mechanism where their answers will be tallied and quantified. Second was

structured as a scale ranging from 1-4. Where (1) is the lowest rating possible to (4) the highest

rating possible. This rating will aid the researchers in better analyzing the result of conducting

data-gathering

DATA GATHERING PROCEDURE

After establishing the validity and reliability of the data collection activities, formulate

questions appropriate for the study, and any necessary modifications to the selected respondents.

Google Forms survey will be sent by email and will be returned successfully automatically after

their response. Therefore, each answer to the question remains closed as an agreement between

the respondent and the researcher. The collected data were systematized according to the results

of statistical processing and prepared in a table. The services of statistical experts will be needed

in the next part.

STATISTICAL TREATMENT OF DATA

To better analyze the following data gathered, the researchers utilized the following

statistical steps:

Mean. The most common expression for the mean of a statistical distribution with a discrete

random variable is the mathematical average of all the terms. To calculate it, add up the values of

all the terms and then divide by the number of terms. The mean of a statistical distribution with a

continuous random variable, also called the expected value, is obtained by integrating the
product of the variable with its probability as defined by the distribution. The expected value is

denoted by the lowercase Greek letter mu (µ).

Median. The median of a distribution with a discrete random variable depends on whether the

number of terms in the distribution is even or odd. If the number of terms is odd, then the median

is the value of the term in the middle. This is the value such that the number of terms having

values greater than or equal to it is the same as the number of terms having values less than or

equal to it. If the number of terms is even, then the median is the average of the two terms in the

middle, such that the number of terms having values greater than or equal to it is the same as the

number of terms having values less than or equal to it.

Mode. The mode of a distribution with a discrete random variable is the value of the term that

occurs the most often. It is not uncommon for a distribution with a discrete random variable to

have more than one mode, especially if there are not many terms. This happens when two or

more terms occur with equal frequency, and more often than any of the others.